All-way stretch fabric girdle with a front latex reinforcement



y 1,1965 E. BRADD 3,182,664

ALL-WAY STRETCH FABRIC GIRDLE WITH A FRONT LATEX REINFORCEMENT Filed Sept. 13. 1961 fl ;7 Z.

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INVENTOR. ERA/57 BRHDD ATTORNEY United States Patent ALL-WAY STRETCH FABRIC GIRDLE WITH A FRONT LATEX REINFORCEWNT Ernest Bradd, Shawanese, Pa., assignor to William Gluckin & Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 137,763

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-539) This invention relates to fabric girdles formed of allway stretch materials, upon which latex reinforcements are applied in giving added support to that part of the girdle to which the reinforcement is applied. More particularly, the invention deals with a girdle of the character described having a substantially butterfly contour latex reinforcement at the upper front portion of the girdle in providing an abdominal support.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a girdle structure of the character defined made in accordance with a method disclosed in a companion application filed of equal date herewith namely Serial Number 137,761, filed September 13, 1961, now Patent No. 3,133,543.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a girdle made according to my invention, with part of the construction broken away and in section and illustrating the girdle with the front and backthereof disposed one directlyupon the other and with the fabric in inverted position; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrating attachment of the latex reinforcement to the braid of the fabric.

In the drawing, diagrammatically represents a fabric girdle of all-way stretch fabric having an upper Waistband portion 11 and a lower finished or hemmed edge 12. In the illustration of the girdle, the garment is shown in an inverted position, in other words, with the normal outer surface 13 of the garment, note the crosssectional view, on the inside; whereas, the inner surface 14 is arranged outermost in order to clearly illustrate the latex reinforcement.

In the construction shown, a reinforcement 15 is employed which may be said to comprise a section of general butterfly contour, in other words, includes side wing portion 16, the outerredges 17 of which extend to side portions of the front of the garment and also from the waistband portion 11 to points 18 substantially at the hip line. The section 15 has upper and lower inwardly contracted edges 19 terminating in intersections 20 centrally of the front of the garment, the intersections 20 being widely spaced to form a wide abdominal supporting band 20', support and reinforcement of which is amplified by virtue of the upper and lower tip extensions of the wings 16.

In the cross-sectional view, it will appear that the latex of the section 15 extends into the loops of the fabric of the girdle or garment 10, as diagrammatically seen at 21 in establishing positive attachment of the reinforcement to the fabric. However, by controlling deposit of the latex on the fabric, this extension or penetration of the latex is limited to and conforms with the contour of the braid on the inner surface 14 only of the garment and "ice will not extend to or appear on the outer surface 13 of the garment. The section 15 is vulcanized on the fabric in adhering the same to the surface 14 in accordance with the method defined in the application referred to above.

In the sectional view, I have indicated at 22 the flocking on the exposed surface of the reinforcement 15 and this flocking is further illustrated by the stippling on the section 15, as seen in FIG. 1. The flocking provides a soft and insulated surface of the reinforcing sections upon the body of the wearer in the use of the garment.

While it is preferred to arrange the reinforcement on the inner surface of the garment when in use, in some instances, the reinforcement can be disposed on the outer surface of the garment. By virtue of the fact that the reinforcement is made of latex, the reinforcement will extend or stretch in any direction with the all-way stretch fabric of the garment. However, the stretch of the fabric will be checked to a degree where the reinforcement is applied thereto and, in this manner, the added support is provided in the garment but this support or reinforcement is yieldable and will conform to various changes in contour of the girdle in the use thereof and in different body movements.

It will be apparent that the upwardly and downwardly extending wing tips will extend the support of the reinforcing section 15 to the upper and lower sides of the garment in the reinforced support of the abdomen in the use of the garment; whereas, the center band section 20' is materially less in vertical dimensions than the sides of the section 15. It will also be apparent that the upwardly extending tips of the wing portions will aid in maintaining the waistband portion in proper position upon the body of the wearer.

The points 18, including upper points 18, may be said to define tip ends on the wing portions 16.

In referring to fabric facings on the latex reinforcement, it will be understood that a stretchable fabric will be employed to enable the latex to be extended in the use of the garment.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An all-way stretch tubular fabric girdle of the character described having a latex reinforcing section vulcanized directly on and adhered to the front abdominal supporting area of the girdle, said section having upper and lower edges contracted to the central portion of said section in forming wing portion sides extending onto front sides of the girdle, said sides of the section being of vertical dimensions substantially greater than the vertical dimensions of said central portion, said sides extending from the waistband to positions substantially at the hip line of the girdle, the latex of said section conforming with the contour of the loops of the fabric of the girdle at the surface only thereof to which the section is adhered while maintaining stretch of the reinforcing section of the girdle, and a flock on the exposed surface of said section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,003 5/32 Foster 117-25 2,077,514 4/37 Callahan 117-7 2,106,132 1/ 38 Feinbloom 117-7 2, 120,817 6/38 Simon 128-521 2,334,529 11/43 Amyot 128-533 2,739,919 3/56 Artzt 154-95 3,124,137 3/64 Bradd 128-518 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

